Darkest Desire
by The Leopardess
Summary: Deep in the restricted section Hermione finds a mysterious book that unleashes her wild side, and she becomes enamored with the dark arts... and Draco.
1. The Mysterious Book

_Disclaimer: The characters and setting within are not of my own creation, and I take no credit for them. No copyright breach has been intended._

Chapter 1 – the Mysterious Book

Hermione was walking down the aisles of her usual haunt – the library – looking for a book on expert potions. More specifically, she was in the restricted section, as all the books she'd found elsewhere had been pretty tame. She wanted a _real _challenge.

With her reputation she'd had little trouble getting into the restricted section; the problem was she didn't know what she was looking for. She had walked halfway down the aisle when something behind her went THUNK. Hermione spun around, fully expecting to face one of Lord Voldemort's cronies. Her heart was racing! She pulled out her wand and opened her mouth…

And nothing was there.

The aisle was just as dark and deserted as before, and the air contained only the musty smell of old books and magic.

Well, that's not entirely accurate. There was a book on the ground that hadn't been there before. Evidently it had fallen from its shelf when she'd walked by. Embarrassed she put her wand back and looked around guiltily to see if anyone had seen her. Fortunately no-one was there, and it seemed that her nervous reaction had gone unnoticed. "Get a grip!" she told herself. Adrenaline was still coursing through her blood and her heart was beating faster than usual. Her various encounters with danger and the upcoming exams had certainly taken their toll on her nerves, even more so because she never took time to relax.

Anyway, pondering this she picked up the suicidal book and went to put it back on its shelf. But as she did, she noticed its title – "A History and How-To of the Dark Arts." She was intrigued. She checked that no one was watching, and then opened it.

A heady scent of herbs and leather hit her in the face. It was strong at first, but soon faded and was pleasant. She read the first paragraph.

_ For a long time now the darker side of magic has been shunned and_

_ deemed too dangerous for study. However its history is both rich and _

_ fascinating, and vital to a well-rounded, balanced understanding of _

_ magic. It should not be shunned, but understood. The history of the dark_

_ arts stems from early Egyptian times with Set, a famous animagus…_

Hermione's curiosity grew as she flicked through the book, entranced by various detailed diagrams and latin phrases. It looked fascinating – not because it was concerned with the dark arts, but because it analysed the topic in such a detailed and academic way. It certainly appealed to her intellect, and she was dying to read it! But it was hardly the sort of thing she could just go to the front desk and borrow. Questions would be asked. People would wonder just how "good" she really was. She didn't want those kinds of rumours starting up, life was difficult enough already, thank you very much.

Her mind could see only one solution, and as much as it offended her sense of justice she hid the book in her robes and quickly exited the library.

It was none too soon, as lunch finished just as she entered the common room. She ran up to her dorm and hid the book under her pillow, hoping it would remain unnoticed as she went to the last two lessons. Hermione grabbed her books for class and headed downstairs, literally running into Harry and Ron.

"Ow!" said Ron.

"Oh, sorry Ron," she flustered.

"What's the big rush anyway?" he asked, rubbing his nose indignantly.

Thinking quickly she replied, "Umm… lessons… they just started."

"Oh, relax Hermione," said Harry, "we're not _that _late!"

"Yeah, well, we will be if we don't hurry."

"Okay, wait here and we'll go get our books."

Harry and Ron went up to their dorms to get their books, while Hermione waited nervously. She felt bad for lying to her friends, but she didn't want them to know about the book. Somehow she didn't think they'd understand.

Harry and Ron came downstairs with their book.

"All set," Harry said to Hermione, "let's go."

Charms passed uneventfully, but towards the end of potions, things took a mild turn for the worse…

"Granger!" Professor Snape snapped.

"Yeah, Professor?"

"You will not use that tone with me, five points from Gryffindor. And your cauldron is still dirty."

"Well, I've cleaned it already."

"Obviously not well enough. It's still filthy. How can you expect to make decent potions if your equipment is contaminated? Now – you know what to do with your cauldron."

Hermione opened her mouth to say "shove it up your arse!" but said instead, "Sho, uh, sorry sir. I'll, uh, clean it."

Snape nodded curtly and walked away.

All in all, quite a typical day.

After dinner Hermione did about five minutes of homework and then played wizard chess with Ron and Harry, both of whom seemed quite surprised by her relaxed attitude. She couldn't wait until night-time, when she could start reading her book. She'd decided to wait until everyone was asleep so no-one would see her.

The hours past slowly like thick dripping honey, until it was 12:30 and Ron announced with a yawn that he was going to bed. They said their good-nights and went their separate ways.

"Finally," sighed Hermione, and she crept up to her dorm to retrieve the book. She tiptoed so as not to wake anyone, and was shortly alone, back in the empty common room.

She "Lumos"'ed up a lamp with her wand, keeping the room light enough to read in, but still quite dark. And with that she smiled, curled up on an armchair, and became absorbed in the book.

_A/N _

_Welcome to Darkest Desire! I love feedback, so please leave a review telling me what you think of the story! _


	2. A Chance Meeting

_Disclaimer: The characters and setting within are not of my own creation, and I take no credit for them. No copyright breach has been intended._

Chapter 2 – A Chance Meeting

Morning found Hermione bleary-eyed in her armchair. She hadn't slept.

With the first wisps of dawn she yawned and rubbed her eyes. She stood and stretched, yawning again, then went up to her dorm and hid the book. This time she made a little more effort, casting an invisibility spell on it before putting it in a corner of her trunk.

The first lesson the day was transfiguration which, much to Ron and Harry's displeasure, the Gryffindors were sharing with Slytherin, owing to the fact that Professor McGonagall had to attend a meeting during the Slytherins normal class. Hermione was _not _looking forward to it, not because the Slytherins would be there, but because for once in her life she _hadn't _done her homework. There was a long essay due, and even Ron and Harry had done it, having taken turns writing last night between games of wizard chess. Hermione tried to think of a good excuse, and eventually settled on "I lost it" just as breakfast finished.

She got her books and went to class.

"Right!" Professor McGonagall began to the large class. "Now, I know there isn't much space, but it couldn't be helped. You will just have to share your desks with as many people as possible. Have you all got your wands? Good. Today we shall practise the spell you all learnt last lesson on turning toads into teacups. Here are the toads, so get started."

Nobody moved.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Start!"

There was some generalised movement about the tables, and eventually Ron got up and retrieved a toad, and the lesson truly began.

Ron waved his wand over the toad, and turned it into a slimy green mug that started leaping all over the table. With a look of great concentration, Harry made a complicated little gesture and turned his into solid ceramic, still toad-shaped, but with a pleasant blue and white pattern. Hermione chortled, "now if only you two could combine your skills, you might actually manage it!"

"Very funny," muttered Ron darkly. "Go on then, you show us." Shaking back her hair, Hermione moved her wand and turned her own toad into a green, but ceramic tea cup, which unfortunately croaked loudly when Ron picked it up.

Towards the end of the lesson Professor McGonagall waved her wand, made a loud "bang!" and told everybody to stop what they were doing and get their essays out. Everybody from both houses, except Hermione, pulled out a long piece of parchment and put it on the desk. With an "accio parchment" she collected them, and then spoke to the class.

"Tonight's homework is to research the early uses of this spell and others in teaparties. A foot and a half by next lesson. You are dismissed.

The class stood and moved out.

"Oh, will you wait a moment Hermione?"

"Damn it," Hermione whispered, but said out loud "Yes Professor."

"You want us to wait?" Harry asked.

"Nah, it's alright. I'll see you next lesson."

"Okay, see you soon Hermione." Harry and Ron left the room just as Professor McGonagall stepped up to Hermione's desk.

"Yes Professor?"

"Hermione, I noticed you didn't hand up your essay. Why not?"

Hermione looked at her desk, then met the Professor's green gaze and lied flawlessly. "I did it last night Professor, but when I woke up this morning, it, it wasn't where I left it. I looked everywhere."

"Well," said Professor McGonagall, looking stern, "in most students I wouldn't accept this, but seeing as you've always done your homework in the past, I'm inclined to let it go. Just. This. Once."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Just make sure you don't lose your next essay," she warned.

"Okay."

Hermione grabbed her books and stormed out of the classroom in suppressed rage. "Stupid bitch," she said once she was out in the corridor.

"My, my, my, Granger," a familiar voice drawled. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"  
"Shove it Malfoy," she said, and kept on walking. Malfoy followed.

"Aren't we touchy!" Malfoy smirked, "I can't believe McGonagall swallowed that 'I lost it' crap. Anyone else would have a week's detention. But then again, you are Hogwarts golden girl," he spat out the last words. "Knowing you," he chuckled patronisingly, "it's probably did lose it!"

"Yeah, well, shows what you know Malfoy."

"Wait, you didn't do it?" He laughed properly this time. "A side I've not yet seen, Granger."

"There's a lot you don't know about me Malfoy," she spat back. "Now get lost."

"Alright," said Malfoy, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I'll see you around, Granger."

After the most tediously boring Arithmancy lesson ever, and a brief break, Care of Magical Creatures was ready to begin.

"Are you coming Hermione?" Ron called to her from the common room.

"Um, you guys go ahead, I'll catch you up," she called back. She was in her dorm, holding the book in her hands. She only knew one thing. She really did not want to attend this lesson. Out in the cold, with all those animals… No thank you. She was staying right here in the castle, where it was warm.

She opened the book and started rereading one of the parts she hadn't understood last night.

_Chantwork__ and Wandwork_

_In very ancient times, spells were mainly performed through chanting. Several wizards or witches chant words or phrases repeatedly to the desired effect. Power and focus comes from the chanter, and amplification comes from the group – no wand is required. Although chanting and wandwork may seem fairly similar, the differences between them are both subtle and numerous, and near impossible to understand without practising both yourself._

_In wandwork, for instance, power comes from the witch or wizard, while focus and amplification is supplied through the wand. In ancient times the wand was usually replaced with a staff. Early dark spells of this kind include the Plague of Locusts and Death to First Born – both of which are included in this edition. _

Unfortunately, it still didn't make sense (how could she learn without a teacher?), and frustrated she shoved the book back in her trunk and went downstairs.

But what to do? She could hardly go to lesson now, she'd be late, and the library was so… old. She wanted to do something exciting and new, but she simply couldn't think of anything.

Hermione was walking aimlessly down the corridor when she heard a voice.

"Out of lesson, are we Granger?"

"Evidently," she replied without turning.

"First no homework, now skiving off lessons, what _has _gotten into you?"

"Nothing. Like I told you before Malfoy, you don't know _everything _about me."

"Evidently," he mimicked sneeringly.

Hermione spun around now and fixed her gaze on Malfoy.

"So, what are _you _doing out of lesson?" she retorted.

"It's not uncommon for me to skip a boring class here and there," he replied loftily.

"That doesn't surprise me," said Hermione, "but I meant, what are you _planning _to do?"

Draco paused and thought a moment. "Well," he admitted, "I don't have any plans at present."

"That makes two of us. There's nothing _to_ do."

"True. So what do you suggest we do?"

"How should I –" Hermione stopped as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Actually Draco, I wonder if you could help me with something. See, I have this book-"

"Ah! The great Hermione Granger, Hogwarts golden girl, asking for help," he sneered. "And asking a Malfoy at that. What would Potter think?"

"Well, I don't know who else I can ask. Come on Draco, yes or no. Will you help me?"  
Draco considered.

"Yes," he decided without explanation. "What exactly is the problem?"

"Follow me." Hermione turned around and started towards Gryffindor tower. "It's like this, I, um, _found_ this book about the dark arts." Draco raised an eyebrow and Hermione continued quickly. "It's, well, it's fascinating, but there are parts of it that I just can't understand. I guess I just don't have the background. But I figured-"

"But you figured _I _probably do," Draco interrupted. "Well you're right there. My family certainly has a… history… of dark magic."

"Yes," Hermione agreed, "so I thought you could help me."

They reached the portrait and Hermione muttered the password to gain entry. "Come inside," she offered.

He declined. "No thanks Granger, I'd much prefer to wait here."  
She shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Hermione quickly ran upstairs and grabbed the book, hiding it in her robes, then returned to the corridor where Draco stood waiting.

"Let's see it then," he said, gesturing to her.

"Not here!" she whispered. "Someone might see us, and-"

"and give us detention?' Draco sneered.

"take away the book," Hermione finished.

"Where do you want to read it then?" Draco asked her.

"I don't know. Somewhere personal and quiet. If not Gryffindor Tower, then maybe…" the sentence trailed away with an embarrassed, but meaningful look at Malfoy.

"Fine," he said, "Slytherin Dungeon it is. Follow me."

Draco led Hermione past the entrance hall and down a dank stone hallway. He stopped in front of a blank stone wall and languidly repeated the password (death-eaters). A stone door appeared and opened into the Slytherin common room. By the green lamp light Hermione could see carved chairs and a large fireplace, but no people, which was a good thing.

"Come down into my dormitory," Draco told Hermione. "That way people are less likely to interrupt us. If all goes well, no-one will ever know I let you down here." She followed him down even more steps, these ones coloured an eerie green, past all the other dormitories, and into his own, which was at the very bottom of the steps.

The room was surprisingly warm for a dungeon, owing to the large crackling fire. Draco, seeming pretty much at home (which he was), sat on his bed and looked at Hermione.

"So…" she began slowly, "this is Slytherin Dungeon."

"Clearly it is. Now show me the book so we can get on with it."

"Okay," Hermione said, ignoring the rudeness of his remark. She pulled out the book and joined him on the bed.

Draco struggled to keep his face impassive as she sat next to him, but it positively lit up when he saw the book.

"Wow Granger. I'm shocked, you actually have good taste! This is one good-looking book." He flipped through it excitedly. "Look! The Ponderum Curse, the Curse of Words, even the three Unforgivables! This is incredible!"

"Yeah," Hermione enthused, "it's fascinating, but I'm having problems with chanting."

"It does chant-work too? Excellent!"

"Yeah, it describes how to do it, but I just - I can't - I don't –"

"I understand. Chant-work is hard to grasp by reading a book, you really need someone to teach you. Lucky for you, I happen to be skilled in chant-work."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. Before we were allowed wands, me and my cousins used to muck around with chanting, you know, cursing nearby muggles and that," he smiled at the memory, then returned his attention to the book and flipped a few pages, "but these chants are way too complex for a beginner, even a beginner like you, Granger."

She smiled a little at the complement. "I say you should start on something more simple, like, say, the Ferinige Chant. Can you summon us up a rose, Granger?"

"No problem," she said, waving her wand and plucking a large red rose from the air.

"Excellent. Now, the Ferinige Chant is used to make things black, so we'll try to turn this into a black rose. With me so far?"

"Yes," she nodded, looking forward to the lesson.

"Okay, the thing to remember about chanting is that big groups make it stronger. I remember the first time I did this chant, me and my cousins were hiding in a tree when this muggle, a neighbour, comes walking up his driveway with a big bunch of roses behind his back. So we all start the chant, and by the time his wife opens the door, he's holding a dozen black roses. When he pulls them out to surprise her she was so angry! Slammed the door right in his face! It was a riot!"

Hermione chuckled, partly at the story, but more because Malfoy had a huge grin on his face. She'd never seen him smile like that before. The somewhat malevolent, yet gleeful grin made him look quite cute, and cute isn't a word often used to describe Draco Malfoy. Dashing, perhaps, and attractive were words more commonly heard, and as the smile was replaced by the typical gloating expression, as if he owned the whole world, Hermione admitted again as she had done many times before. Malfoy was _hot._

"Now," Draco began, bringing Hermione's attention back to the present. "To perform this spell, we chant 'Niger, Niger, Fieri Niger' repeatedly. Can you remember that?"

"Sure."

"Good. Now, the thing with chanting is that rhythm is important, so say the words rhythmically. We'll start slowly, but chants are pretty slow anyway. Then as the power builds – you'll be able to feel it – start focussing on the rose, but keep chanting. It doesn't need to be loud, okay?"

"Okay."

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Alright," Draco stretched his fingers out, then rested them on his knees. "Here goes."

They started chanting and Hermione could soon feel the power. It was completely different to using a wand - it was like an ocean wave she could control. The feeling was strong, she could feel it deep inside her chest. It was addictive. She kept chanting in time with Draco, and slowly started focussing on the rose. The power wave swept up from her chest into her eyes, and slowly emptied into the rose, like water out of a tap. They continued chanting and the rose slowly darkened in colour, until suddenly black swept up the rose from the bottom of the petals to the very tips, and then stopped.

Draco smiled, and picked up the rose, admiring the blackness. "Good work, Granger. It took longer than usual, but that's pretty good for a beginner." The whole process had taken about three minutes. He offered her the rose to admire.

"That was… fun!" she said, accepting the black rose. "It's not like normal magic."

"Yes, chanting has a really different feel to it. Then again, that feeling of power comes with most dark magic."

"Really?"

"It lasts longer with chanting, though," Draco mused. "So, what do you want to do next Granger?"

"Next? You still want to help me?"

"Well, you're not going to get far with chanting without my help, but if you're not interested…"

"No!" Hermione said quickly, "I am interested! Please help me Draco."

"Alright. So, what do you want to do next then?"

"What do you suggest?"

"Well, I know a chant for making thunderstorms that's not too difficult. There's not really enough time now though. Lessons will be ending soon and people will be here."

"Why don't we do it tonight?" Hermione suggested. "We could go up to the astronomy tower after supper, then be back before everyone's asleep."

"That would work. Bring some pumpkin juice up too, because we'll get thirsty. With only two of us chanting, it will take a while."

"Okay. I should probably go now, before people come back from lesson."

"Of course. I'll walk you."

"Thanks."

By the time they had reached the entrance hall again, lessons had ended and students were walking around. Not wanting to be seen together, Draco drifted away from Hermione. Hermione understood and mumbled to him, "See you tonight."

Draco smiled in a way that was almost sneering and nodded slightly before disappearing into the crowd.

_A/N _

_A slightly longer chapter, I probably could have broken this into two chapters, but you know, you get on a roll sometimes. Review please!_


	3. Rising Darkness

_Disclaimer: The characters and setting within are not of my own creation, and I take no credit for them. No copyright breach has been intended._

Chapter 3 – Rising Darkness

"Where _were_ you Hermione?" Harry asked the second he saw her. They were back in the common room again, and it seemed she had been missed in Care of Magical Creatures.

"Oh, um," Hermione stuttered, "I… wasn't feeling well."

"Well are you alright now?" asked Ron.

"Sure," said Hermione. "Just hungry. Is it time for tea yet?"

"It is, and about time too," Harry said happily, and the trio headed down to the Great Hall.

"Since when don't you know when dinner is?" Ron muttered to her, "I thought you knew your timetable by heart."

"Calm down Ron," Harry interceded, "she was sick before, just give her a break."

"Yeah, chill out Ron," said Hermione as they reached the Great Hall.

Harry and Ron chatted away during dinner. Hermione found that she wasn't particularly hungry despite what she'd said before. She actually _did_ feel a little ill, probably because she was nervous about seeing Draco tonight. She was toying with her mashed potatoes and half-heartedly listening to Ron and Harry arguing about Quidditch teams when she heard a gruff voice behind her.

"All righ' Hermione?" asked Hagrid.

"Fine!" she said thoughtlessly, then "oh, but I was sick before, that's why I missed your lesson." She felt slightly guilty about lying to him.

"Tha's all right," he said, as though she had apologized. "You just take care o' yehself."

"Whatever," she muttered as Hagrid walked away.

"What's up with you?" asked Ron angrily. "You were really rude to Hagrid just then!"

"Oh, I was not!" she replied, just as angrily, "I am just _sick_ of people telling me to be a good little girl and take care of myself! I'll do what I want!"

"Why are you snapping at me?" Ron remarked, still angry.

"Guys, will you just stop fighting?" said Harry.  
Ron grunted, implying that he had more to say, but would hold his tongue for the time being. Hermione sighed and looked around the hall, and caught Draco's eyes. He winked almost imperceptibly to her, and nodded slightly towards the door, where people were leaving the Great Hall. It was time to go. Hermione turned back to Harry and Ron and grabbed a large flask of Pumpkin Juice.

"Well, I'm going to the library."

"Why are you taking that?" Ron gestured to the Pumpkin Juice.

"Well I might get thirsty!" she replied as though it were perfectly obvious.

"See you back at the common room then?" queried Harry.

"Yeah. See ya," she said to him, and walked out of the Great Hall, though not soon enough to miss Ron saying to Harry, "what is _up_ with her?"

Hermione went from the Great Hall straight to the Astronomy Tower, which she found, thankfully, empty. Draco entered the room soon after.

"I followed you up," he said for explanation. His cool blue eyes appraised the room, the hard cold stone floor and walls that made up the circular room. The roof was a high turret that acted like one way glass. From flying on his broomstick he knew the tower looked solid from the outside, but it was perfectly clear from the inside. The room seemed air-tight, and he could feel no breeze, yet it wasn't stuffy at all. There were no windows, but in the centre of the floor was a wooden trapdoor, the only entrance to the room. He closed it behind him.

"It's a bit cold," he remarked, "and this floor will be uncomfortable."

"It's a good thing I brought my wand then," said Hermione, whipping it out and conjuring up a magic no-burns fire in the centre of the room and five very large, thick white cushions, which covered the floor like an uneven carpet.

"Nice, Granger," Draco said approvingly. "But allow me to change the colour scheme." With a wave of his wand and some well chosen words he turned the cushions a dark crimson. "Now, take a seat."

Draco sat down opposite Hermione with the fire between them. The light danced on their faces and flashed in their eyes as they leaned closer.

"So what's this spell, Draco?"

"From what I remember, I believe it goes like this:

"Vinu, Frigi, Venire Tempestas, Venire Tempestas, Venire Tempestas

"And then starts from the beginning and repeats. But like I said before, seeing as there's only two of us it will probably take a long time, like ten, twenty minutes and possibly more. It'll work best if we chant continuously, but if you need a break just stop for a while, alright? I don't want you to pass out or anything."

"Alright, I've got it." She stretched out her arms and shook them out.

"Okay, just do the same thing we practiced before. When you really feel the power building up so that you can't take anymore, direct it towards the sky. This time hold your hands palm upwards and direct it through them, it's easier than chanting while looking upwards."

"Got it," said Hermione, turning her hands so her palms faced the enchanted ceiling. "Let's go."

"Vinu, Frigi, Venire Tempestas…" they chanted softly in unison. With her eyes closed Hermione could feel the power build up as it had before, wave upon wave until she began to feel faint from it all. The air around her seemed to crackle with magic as the chant resonated, expanded, became the entire world. The repeating words were almost hypnotic, as was the growing power within her.

When she absolutely could not take anymore, Hermione focused and directed the power through the palms of her hands and towards the sky, keeping her eyes closed to any distractions. A moment later Draco did the same, and together the magic flowed from them into the sky. They kept chanting.

They chanted constantly for what seemed like hours. Hermione was starting to feel a little weak, and a little drunk with power. Her throat was dry from all the chanting but she kept going, and then –

"Hermione, look!"

Hermione opened her eyes at Draco's command. She hadn't even noticed that he'd stopped chanting, but he had. She stopped and looked at him, her eyes unfocussed at first.  
His eyes were aimed at the sky, but when she looked at him he glanced down and smiled at her. At that instant the ceiling was illuminated by a flash of lightening and the silence broken by a loud crack of thunder. Looking upwards Hermione found she could no longer see the stars, and another flash of lightening revealed that the sky was hidden behind a thick black blanket of clouds.

The wind howled angrily.

"Wow," Hermione whispered. "We made all this?"

"Yes, we did. And we could do much, much more if we wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"There is no limit to what Dark Magic can achieve, except for the _morals _of the witch or wizard. We could do… anything. Anything we wanted. _This,_" he gestured across the room, "is nothing."

Hermione gazed up at the sky in awe as the heavens broke open in a torrent of rain which bounced off the transparent ceiling.

"It's pretty amazing though," she said.

"Oh, hell yes! Now, would you like a drink?"

Hermione nodded.

"I don't know about you," said Draco, pouring out two cups of pumpkin juice, "but my throat is really sore from all that chanting."

"Mine too," said Hermione, accepting the drink and drinking deeply. Draco did the same, then leant back to better observe the sky, which had just started to hail loudly.

They watched the sky in silence as the storm raged above them for several minutes. Hermione was in awe over what they had created.

"How long will it last, do you think?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," Draco answered honestly. "At least until morning. The one I made with my cousins lasted a whole weekend, but we spent ages casting it."

Hermione nodded and looked into the fire, becoming temporarily mesmerised by it. When she looked up again she caught Draco's eyes and they held the gaze in silence for a moment.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, Hermione coughed and looked away.

"So, um…" Draco said, "have you got that book with you?"

"Uh, yes," Hermione said, fishing into her robes and producing the leather cast book.

"Let's have a look through some of the harder spells," Draco said.

Hermione put the book on one of the crimson cushions and lay down to look at it in comfort, propped up on one arm. To her surprise Draco rose from his seat and moved around the fire next to her. He too lay down and propped himself on one arm. Hermione was closest to the fire, and inclined to Draco, while Draco faced the Hermione, both looking at the book, but not really seeing it. Both all too aware of the others body next to theirs, almost touching. They could feel the heat, and it wasn't coming from the fire.

Hermione, her breath held in a mixture of anticipation and surprise, opened the book between them.

She skipped the first few pages of the book and opened up the spells section.

"Hmm… let's see," she said, flicking through the pages. "Curse of the Locusts… Conjuring a Smoke Spider… Obsession..."

"Obsession?" Draco caught Hermione's hand in his own to prevent her flipping the page. "That sounds familiar, what does it do?"

Bitingly aware that Draco was holding her hand, Hermione tried to suppress the squeak in her voice and talk normally. "… It's a potion. See here, 'Obsession causes the drinker to become obsessed with whatever they are thinking about at the time of consumption.' It can also be made into vapour and sprayed onto the person."

"Ah…" Draco said, an released his hold on her hand, though left it resting on hers. Hermione looked over to Draco, scared of what she might see, but to her relief he was only looking at the book. Wait – was that feeling relief, or disappointment?

Draco sensed her staring at him, and looked across. His eyes held hers, and he smiled. A flash of lightening lit up her long brown hair and danced across his grey eyes…

The moment lasted, lingering like the taste of red wine. Draco slowly, oh so slowly moved his hand from hers and up to her face, brushing it gently against her cheek and curling around her hair. He leaned towards her…

The kiss lasted for an eternity. Soft lips met soft lips and opened to each other like a blossom opening to the first rays of spring, like dew glinting from the crown of a tree. But it was also a kiss that spoke of much, much more than tired clichés. One that whispered of mystery and enchantment, of power and longing. A kiss that hinted not only of sunsets, but of the dark night that follows. When a thick fog falls thick with magic, and the very stars turn away their faces while the moon closes its eye. It was a dark kiss, its initial innocence was deceiving, and belied the power it was imbued with. Power that was almost evil, that was almost…

With infinite regret they slowly moved apart, and Draco slowly ran his hand through her hair. "It's getting late," he murmured. "If we don't leave soon, we'd risk being caught by Filch or that dratted cat of his."

He gracefully stood up and reached down to help Hermione to her feet, catching her in another time-stopping kiss. They parted on a smile, and Draco extinguished the fire with a flick of his wand and disappeared down the trapdoor without another word. Hermione waited for several minutes, partly in shock, and partly because she doubted her ability to walk when her knees were feeling so weak. A grin stealing across her face, she waved away the crimson cushions, summoned her book and left through the trapdoor herself.

"Where have you _been?_" Harry asked Hermione as she entered the common room later that night. "We looked all over for you, why weren't you in the library?"  
Hermione looked around quickly for an excuse. "I was, uh, studying outside."

Harry looked at her dubiously. "In the rain?"

"Well, before it started obviously, and then I wandered around for a while."

This sounded like a shockingly poor excuse to Hermione, but luckily as Harry opened his mouth to question her further, Ron appeared beside him.

"Have you seen this storm Hermione? Wild, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's great!" said Hermione, feeling secretly proud of herself.

"Want to play some Wizard Chess, Harry?" Ron asked hopefully.

"No thanks Ron, I've got to do that Potions essay. So do you, by the way!"

Ron snorted dismissively. "I'll do it later. How about you, Hermione?"

"No thanks," she said, feeling suddenly exhausted. "I think I'll just go to bed. Goodnight Ron, Harry"

"Goodnight," they replied quietly, and Hermione retired to her room, where she fell into a deep slumber full of dreams of magic and kisses as the rain pounded at the windows.

The storm raged on throughout the night and well into the morning, eventually blowing itself out around 10:30. Not long after, Harry, Ron and Hermione could be found squelching through the mud on their way to Herbology.

Professor Sprout gave them a fairly interesting lesson on the use of Deathcaps as hallucinogens, restoratives, and poisons, and more importantly its differences from the common mushroom. As important as Hermione knew this lesson would be if she were ever lost in a forest with nothing to eat but wild mushrooms, she found her mind wandering. As Professor Sprout prodded a Deathcap with her wand so that it let out a screech, Hermione was merely reminded of the wind as it screamed over the Astrology tower last night. The black frills under the common mushroom reminded her of the black rose she had made with Draco. When they were told to read pages 41 through 44 for homework, Hermione thought only of her book, back in the dormitory, waiting for her.

The end of lesson came as a surprise to Hermione, who had been feeling so dreamy she had almost forgotten she was even _in_ a lesson.

Not too long later it was lunchtime, and the sun could be seen shining merrily through the ceiling of the Great Hall. Hermione found she had little appetite. Her mind was preoccupied. Ron and Harry, however, very clearly weren't suffering the same problem, judging by the way they bolted their food down as though they hadn't been fed for a week.

Across her pumpkin juice and past Ron and Harry's rapidly chewing faces, Hermione met Draco's eyes and felt a shot of heat hit her stomach. He gave the smallest of smiles and flicked his eyes over to the doors, making it obvious to her that he wanted to leave. She dipped her head slightly in agreement.

"Why aren't you eatin' 'Ermione?" Ron grunted through a mouthful of something unidentifiable.

"Not feeling well," Hermione answered shortly, feeling indeed slightly ill from his less than appetizing manners.

Harry looked at her with concern, but bit back any words he might have been thinking and instead settled for a meaningful glance at Ron. Ron looked back and swallowed, but didn't say anything. Hermione pretended not to notice. She left soon after and met with Draco outside. They spent a sneaky five minutes looking for somewhere they could be together privately, but nothing presented itself and they parted ways.

The rest of the day passed in a daze, and the evening meal was a muted affair. Hermione looked around the room with sickness in her eyes, and met Draco's with the same sickness looking back. The feeling was intense, was palpable, and Hermione excused herself quickly from the Great Hall. She returned to the common room, to her dormitory, to the book. Reading it comforted her somehow, made her feel safe and in control. But it also excited some other feeling. A desire.

She had to see Draco.

_A/N_

_Thank you so much to all the people who have reviewed so far. Please, please review, it's why I write!_


	4. A Few New Friends

_Disclaimer: The characters and setting within are not of my own creation, and I take no credit for them. No copyright breach has been intended._

Chapter 4 – A Few New Friends

The trio's long school cloaks picked up the moisture of the grass as they walked down through the grounds from Herbology back up to the castle. Their hems hung sodden about their ankles and their boots had a thick cover of mud along the sole. The storm had blown itself out at midday, and the sky was suddenly striking, bright, and warm. The heat coupled with the water on the grass to make the atmosphere humid.

"Strange weather," Ron remarked.

"Sure is," said Harry.

Hermione grinned. "It is weird, but wasn't the storm amazing?"

The other two rolled their eyes in commiseration. "For the hundredth time, yes. It was great, fantastic… stormy." intoned Ron.

"It was, wasn't it," she said with a self-satisfied smile as they walked though the arched entrance.

"Have a good lesson?" smirked a voice. In a single movement, all three of the friends whipped about to see Draco casually lounging against the stone wall behind them.

"What's it to you?" Ron asked with hostility. Harry's hand inched towards his wand.

Draco's eyes glittered as he looked past them to Hermione. "Granger?"

"I'll meet you guys upstairs," she said, her eyes glued to Draco's.

"What? Hermione- "

"I can take care of myself!" She said angrily. To their bewilderment she took Draco's proffered arm and followed him outside.

"What just happened?" she heard Ron ask, but she didn't catch Harry's reply.

"That was GREAT!" Hermione grinned. "Did you see their faces?"

"I don't think they could have looked more surprised if I was an ogre."

"To tell the truth, they probably DO think you're an ogre." He laughed appreciatively. "So, to what do I owe the honour?"

"I'd like to invite you to spend the night with me," he said quietly.

"Really? Okay!" Hermione said excitedly.

Draco groaned and shook his head. "You were supposed to be shocked and say no, and then I'd have explained the REAL plan, and then you would agree and feel silly about being shocked in the first place. I had the whole dialogue planned!"

"Okay…" Hermione said slowly.

"Well, go on then."

"Oh. Right." She put a look of fake horror on her face and said indignantly "No way!"

"Why not?" he said, clearly continuing with the planned dialogue. "A night stalking the corridors and the grounds unseen, uncovering the secrets of Hogwarts that come alive at night. We would have the school entirely to ourselves." He said seductively, then immediately changed his tone. "But, if you don't want to, I could always invite Pansy Parkinson."

"And this is the part where I say yes, right?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes!"

"It sounds like fun. Do you have an invisibility cloak or do you want me to steal Harry's?"

"I have a much better idea. There's a chant in here that will make us look like ghosts. We will wander the grounds until nightfall, and beyond, if you like it cold. When we want to venture into the castle, we'll use the ghost spell and move around unnoticed."

"I like it. But what if the Bloody Baron or one of the other ghosts see us?"

"We'll just have to hope they don't."

"So when do we meet?"

"After dinner, like last time."

At dinner they may meaningful eye contact exactly 27 times (Ron was counting) and ate exactly nothing, waiting for an appropriate time to leave. When they rose together and walked out of the Great Hall and into the grounds, Harry and Ron followed carefully from a distance.

"Don't look now, but I think we have company," Draco said quietly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "This is ridiculous. They act like I'm their little sister, like I need my big brothers to protect me." They kept walking, heading for the forbidden forest.

"Want to have some fun?"

"Definitely."

"Let me see the book then."

Hermione handed it over and watched with anticipation as Draco thumbed through, his eyes passing over each page hungrily as if he were devouring them as he had failed to devour his dinner. His hand hovered over a heavily illustrated page, and a slow smirk spread across his face.

"Seeing as they're trying so hard to look after you, let's give them some new friends to focus on. Some new friends with fangs and a tail, to be more specific." Hermione looked from Draco down to the chant he was proposing. It was a chant to call snakes. "I bet there's plenty of snakes in the Forbidden Forest," he said.

Hermione smiled up at him, "let's start chanting and find out."

Harry and Ron were keeping to the tree line, trying hard not to be spotted. They could hear a murmur of voices from Draco and Hermione, but they couldn't make out the words. With stealthy steps they tried to sneak closer.

Draco and Hermione chanted, letting the words well up from within them and spill out from their hands. The power spread between them and spiralled outwards along the ground, like an invisible mist of magic.

From the forest floors, behind logs and in small holes, the snakes lifted up their heads and sampled the air with forked tongues. They caught a scent, a delicious, intoxicating smell pulsing from beyond the trees. Without hesitation they moved towards the smell.

Draco heard a slither and broke off mid-chant. "Time to stop," he said to Hermione, and wordlessly she took his hand and they began to walk quickly away from the forest.

"Where do you think they're going?" Harry asked Ron in a whisper.

"I don't know! Out for an evening stroll?" Ron replied angrily.

"Take it easy, Ron."

"Take it easy?! Not only is she prancing about with Malfoy the Nob, which I could possibly handle, but she's also being really rude and acting bizarre. Since when does Hermione skive off class?"

"I know, I know. Hey, can you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That whispering."

"Is it centaurs? Or Acromantula?" Ron looked extremely concerned. "I can't hear anything."

"Hold on, stop walking." Harry put his head to the side, listening closely. "I don't like this, get your wand out."

Ron caught a glimpse of motion as he closed his fingers around his wand. "Um, Harry…"

"Yeah Ron, I see them."

Thousands of snakes were pouring from the tree line. Ron yelped as one of them slithered right across his feet, while Harry hissed soothing. None of them slowed their pace as they moved towards a central point on the grass and became a tangle of serpents, each body writhing above another. It had begun with sounds like a slightly threatening gust of wind through trees, but now the hissing was overwhelmingly loud like several swarms of bees or a buzz saw.

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, they're all talking at once. I can only pick up odd words like 'coming,' and 'hungry.'"

"But why are they all here?" Ron asked, with an increasingly shrill voice.

"I don't know, but that's right where Draco and Hermione were before they changed direction. It's like they called them."

"Do you think Draco's a parseltongue?"

"No, I think we would have noticed. And even if he was, I didn't here him talking to snakes, so how could the snakes have heard?"

"Can we get back to the castle?"

"I don't know," Harry said softly, looking at the snakes which were still coming forth from the forest and covering the ground. "I don't think we should move just now. I think they might attack, they seem edgy. I think we'd best just wait it out until we have a clear path."

"Great," said Ron faintly. "Stuck in the grounds surrounded by edgy snakes, it's getting very dark, it's cold, and we didn't even eat properly because we had to watch our best friend making eyes at Draco-bleeding-Malfoy!"

"It could be worse," said Harry pragmatically.

"Could it?"

"Sure, they could have been spiders."

_A/N – I am so sorry I have been slow updating! I had the whole story finished, and then decided I needed to add in another chapter and it just took me forever. The rest will be updated this week, enjoy! As always, Review. I love comments and advice._


	5. Obsession

_Disclaimer: The characters and setting within are not of my own creation, and I take no credit for them. No copyright breach has been intended._

Chapter 5 – Obsession

Draco and Hermione laughed long and loudly as they left Harry and Ron to the snakes and walked towards the lake. Night was falling fast, and stars pricked out the darkening sky with bright specks of light. They sat down by a gnarled old tree and watched hand in hand as the moon rose from a sliver of orange on the horizon into a wide yellow disc. The moonlight cast fuzzy shadows of their forms as Draco leaned over to Hermione and kissed her neck just above her collarbone. She suppressed a gasp at the tingles that ran down her spine as he moved his soft lips apart and traced a circle with a warm tongue.

When he drew away she looked at him, drinking him in all silver and steel in the moonlight. His finely crafted eyebrows arched in silent amusement of her appraisal and open invitation. She moved closer, bending in for the kiss, and revelling in the way his pupils dilated as he watched her. She placed her lips against his and they kissed softly, arms moving to hold hips, head, and heart.

A violent shudder tore through Draco and he suddenly gripped her harder and tighter, moving his lips in exquisite, almost painful motions. She tasted blood when she bit his lip and his hands left bruises on her hips as they frantically moved in closer together, aching, desperate to become one. Their tongues played at battle between their mouths as hormones waged war in their bodies, emotions spiralling from ecstasy to pain to excitement to fear to ecstasy, spiralling out of control. Draco pushed Hermione to the ground, one hair caught in her hair.

"Ow! What the – Draco, get off."

Draco sat up panting. "What's wrong? Is something wrong?"

"You bumped my head on something, that's what's wrong." She winced and sat up, rubbing the back of her head with one hand. "There, see, you pushed me onto a tree root, you idiot!"

"Oh," Draco said succinctly, caught between feeling guilty and feeling affronted. "Is it okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay I guess. Just a lump, and it really hurts, but no. I'm fine."

"Okay," Draco turned away, feeling supremely frustrated.

"Let's take a look at the book. I feel like casting a spell or two."

"Yeah, me too." he nodded, picking up the book from where it had been discarded in passion and moving it between them. They sat beneath the moon gazing at the pages, breathing in the magic with every breath.

"I want to try this one," said Hermione, pointing to a spell.

"Death of the First-Borns?" inquired Draco, eyes sparkling with laughter. "Well, that sounds like a brilliant idea Hermione. Apart from the small, but obvious problem that _we ourselves _are both first born!"

"But we could - " Hermione began, "Oh, alright, forget it."

"What about a plague?" Draco suggested. "There's a couple about a plague, and one for a drought."

"Hagrid wouldn't be too happy though," Hermione said, thinking briefly of his vegetable gardens. Draco shrugged and turned the page.

"Oh, here's one. 'To Block out the Moon,'" Draco glanced up to the creamy full moon, "that could be fun."

"I suppose," said Hermione, "but it looks pretty easy."

"Then it won't take too long," Draco replied softly.

"Alright then,"

They chanted the spell and felt the power grow, binding them, testing them. It grew quickly, with confidence, and it was not long until the moon had disappeared from sight, and only a ring of red fire revealed that it had ever been there.

They stopped chanting and looked at each other breathlessly, intoxicated with power. They smiled the same slow smile, and Draco reached up to Hermione, pulling her face to his and kissing her mouth softly, at first, but then with mounting passion. They fell carefully upon the ground with his hand tangled in her hair, his other on her stomach. Lips tasting lips. Tongue tasting tongue.

They kissed necks and collarbones, hands learning the contours of the body it seemed had been denied to them for so long. It was satisfying just to taste and hold, but both wanted more. Hands began to fumble at buckles. Kisses, while still maintaining sweetness, became desperate and frustrated. Breath became ragged, thoughts confused, but singular. Who knows what would have happened had Harry not spoken.

"What are you doing, Hermione?" he asked quietly. The words brought her back to reality almost instantly.

"Get lost, Potter!" Draco growled, his eyes glinting anger in the half-darkness.

"Yeah, Harry," Hermione said in the same harsh tone. "Leave us alone."

"Ron, go and get Professor Dumbledore," Harry said calmly. Ron announced his presence with rapid footsteps as he left.

Hermione half sat up, and Draco with her, but he kept his hands trailing up and down her back, and resting on the bare skin of her leg.

"Hermione, listen," said Harry calmly. "You're not well."

"Not well?" Hermione shrieked. "I'm _fine_! What, you think I'm ill just because I prefer Draco to you?"

"No!" Harry said, a little too loudly. "No," he repeated, regaining his composure. "There are other things. Skipping lessons and not eating, to name a few, setting snakes on us to name another."

"Ah yes, how did you enjoy the snakes?" Draco enquired.

"They were fine, thanks. No big deal really, we just had to wait until they'd all left the forest and we could walk out. They're probably still in a big pile out there, if you wanted to stop us you should have sent something bigger."

"Well, I did consider summoning ogres, but I don't think the forest has a large population of them." Draco said. Harry didn't reply, and they sat quietly.

"How did you know we were here?" Hermione said suddenly.

"Right before the snakes appeared you were heading in this direction. And we saw you from a distance right before the moon disappeared. Did you do that?"

Draco decided not to answer, and Hermione focussed her attention on stroking Draco's arm very gently. Harry pushed his advantage.

"Ron and I are just worried about you Hermione, because we care about you and we don't want you to get hurt. We just – _Will _you stop doing that!" he said suddenly to Draco, who had been nibbling on the back of Hermione's neck.

Draco cast one long, insolent look at Harry. "No, I don't think I will," he replied easily, and then brushing away her hair, turned back to her neck.

Harry threw his arms in the air and turned around. "Honestly!"

The minutes stretched out as they waited in an uneasy silence until Draco said "What's your problem anyway Potter? Feeling inadequate? Can't get it – "

Harry whipped out his wand and pointed it at Draco. "Not another word, Malfoy."

In an instant Draco was at his feet and had his wand out as well. "Go on, Potter!" he sneered. "I dare you."

Hermione sprung to her feet, and pulled out her own wand, pointing it, a little shakily, at Harry. "Don't do it Harry."

"Come on then Potter!" Draco grinned. "Attack me!"

Harry made no move to attack. He simply kept his wand pointed steadily at Draco.

"How pathetic," Draco drawled. "Really, Hermione, I don't know how you can stand him. Anyone would thing he's –"

Draco stopped mid-sentence as Harry's wand began to glow. Sensing that the time for attack had come, all three opened their mouths and were halfway through a spell when a voice called quickly "Expelliarmus!" and all three were wandless and on the ground.

"What's going on here?" Professor Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Sir," Harry said, breathless from the fall. "We think Hermione is sick, or being controlled, or –"

"Yes, yes," Dumbledore said. "Ron told me all that."

"Alright, Harry?" Ron asked him.

"I'm fine Ron," Harry said, standing up.

Draco and Hermione helped each other up and faced Dumbledore, who was staring up at the sky.

"There is dark magic at work here," murmured Dumbledore, looking back down at Draco and Hermione. "Did you do this?"

Neither replied.

"I see," he continued, "and where did you learn to do that?"

Again there was no reply, but Hermione unconsciously glanced down at the book.

"Accio!" said Dumbledore. "Aah," he looked down at the unopened volume in his hand. "This explains everything. You've both read this book, I presume?" Draco and Hermione nodded. "And you?" he looked over at Harry and Ron.

"No, sir," they said in unison.

"Very well. I am going to lift the spell now, and you may feel some discomfort…" He flicked his wand.

A sharp, intense pain hit her in the stomach, then spread in a warm flush throughout her body. Her head jerked involuntarily as the heat reached it and turned immediately into a light-headedness that was briefly euphoric. In the instant she became aware of it, the euphoria vanished and she felt as though she was going to faint. Hands reached out to grab her as her muscles slackened, and she sank to the floor. In a bleary blur she saw Draco drift down beside her, and then her eyelids flickered shut.


	6. The End

_Disclaimer: The characters and setting within are not of my own creation, and I take no credit for them. No copyright breach has been intended._

Chapter 5 – The End

"Hermione? Hermione?" The voice sounded far away. "Hermione, can you hear me?" Harry's voice. "Hermione?"

"Unh… Harry?" She said, suddenly waking. "Where am I? Where's Draco?" She sat up in alarm and then fell back down again, holding a hand to her head and wincing at the pain.

"You're in the hospital wing. Malfoy's in the next bed, sleeping it off. You've been out cold since last night. Dumbledore said it would take a while to recover, he's going to explain it to you tomorrow morning. Madam Pomfrey wants you to sleep until then."

"Okay. And, Harry, I'm sorry about –"

"What, raising a wand to me? Don't worry, I probably deserved it. Sleep now, I'll go tell Ron you're okay." He smiled and left the room.

"Nice friends you've got there Granger. Waking you up so you can go back to sleep."

"Draco! So you're awake! How are you?"

"I've got a splitting headache."

"Me too. What do you think happened to us?"

"I don't know, but I suppose we'll find out tomorrow morning."

A thoughtful silence stretched.

"Well, I think I'll go back to sleep now."

"Probably a good idea."

Hermione rolled over to her side and closed her eyes.

"I'm glad you're okay, Hermione," he said softly. Hermione smiled.

I I I

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione opened her eyes and sat up slowly, trying to ignore the throbbing in her temples. "Yes?"

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you now in his office. You know where that is, I presume?"

"Yes."

"The password is fizzing whizbee. You don't need to come back here as long as you go STRAIGHT BACK to your dormitory and RELAX after you see him. I don't want to see you wandering the corridors, understood?"

"Yes Madam Pomfrey."

"Alright then. There's a clean set of robes on the table next to you."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."

Hermione stretched and noticed Draco's bed was empty. He must have left already. She stood and dressed and washed her face to wake up, then left the hospital wing to Dumbledore's office.

After ascending the spiral staircase, Hermione knocked on the door. "Professor Dumbledore, sir?"

"Ah, Miss Granger, come in and please sit down. I'm glad to see you recovering well. I apologize for the spell; it was most likely a little…" his eyes twinkled, "rough. But necessary, I assure you."

"Necessary for what, sir?" Hermione asked, and noticed that Draco was there also, lounging back in a chair with his hands on his hair, looking hungover.

"Firstly, where did you find this book?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Hermione looked at Draco, who made no move to speak. "I found it in the restricted section, sir." She looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling guilty.

"And when was this?"

"A few days ago sir."

"What is all this about?" Draco asked suddenly, "I thought you were going to explain the whole thing, not interrogate us. Sir." he added as an afterthought.

"Quite right Mister Malfoy. But to explain one must first understand. Still," he cleared his throat. "This book is imbued with a potion. A very old, very powerful potion called Obsession. Quite a brilliant marketing ploy, no doubt," he smiled. "This potion, as its name suggests, causes the victim, in this case, any person who breathes while reading this book, to become obsessed with whatever they are thinking about at the time. Given the topic of this particular book, it would follow that most readers would become obsessed with the dark arts. Doubtless you tried some spells yourselves. The storm we had several nights ago, perhaps? And the moon of course."

"Yes, sir." They both replied. Hermione rubbed her head gingerly, it had been throbbing since the spell was lifted.

"Well! No harm done! The spell I cast on the pair of you neutralizes the potion, with some regrettable side effects," he inclined his head apologetically, and Draco winced at the pain in his head, "and the book has been returned to its shelf. Are there any other questions?"

"Sir, could the potion make someone obsessed with things other than what the books are about?" Draco asked suddenly.

"Certainly, Mister Malfoy. Why, there is a famous case of a wizard who became quite infatuated with the opera, because it was playing in the background while he read one of these books. It was only after he had put on a great deal of weight and was singing Karaoke with Viking horns that they managed to correct the situation," he chuckled. "Well, anymore questions?"

Hermione found the obvious question. "Why on earth do you have such a dangerous, mind-altering book in Hogwarts?"

"The book represents one of the last samples of such a potent potion. And that is why we call it the restricted section, Miss Granger. The two of you may leave now, I am sure I will see you again."

I I I

"Hermione! Wait!" Draco ran up to her and turned her around. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

"It's all my fault!" she cried, "I showed you that book and you got sick too! Who knows what could have happened! I –"

"Hermione, calm down. No one knows what could have happened because NOTHING HAPPENED. We're both fine. And even if something had happened it wouldn't have been your fault. You were drugged."

"But how could I have gotten you involved in this? Someone that I care about?"

Draco looked away, stony faced. "Don't you get it Hermione? It was just the potion, the book. You never cared about me. You were just… obsessed. We both were."

"I don't want to believe that Draco, I can't." She turned his face towards hers. "Are you saying that you feel nothing for me anymore? After all this?"

He looked away.

"Well, if that's the way it is…" she said slowly. Hermione turned and walked away.

Footsteps sounded behind her and a pair of hands reached out and pulled her around.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said breathlessly, with his hands tangled in her hair.

"Don't talk," she said back, and he kissed her. The world seemed to spin around them as they stood locked in emotion, and Hermione, finally, felt truly safe in the universe. They slowly drew apart with smiles on their faces.

"You know," he said, "just because we're not drugged any more, doesn't mean we can't still have a little fun. Want to skip Potions tomorrow?"

Hermione looked at him in disapproval, then grinned. "Definitely," she said, "I've had enough of potions for this week!"

Draco draped his arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I wonder what Ron and Harry are going to say," he said.

Hermione put an arm around his waist. "Let's find out."

The End

_A/N_

_Well, that's all she wrote. I'd love feedback on what you thought of this relatively short story! Please review! It's been great writing for you. _


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